He is the leader of the Tantric sect in Chagdu.

The three walked one after the other down the corridor of the Countermeasures Bureau, and the atmosphere became a little strange for a moment. Virtue turned his head several times as if he wanted to say something, but stopped halfway.

Her expression was conflicted, and she fell into deep thought...

Two weeks is not enough time for the foundation to completely clean up the mess left by such a massive disaster.

Ordinary problems are easy to solve if they can be solved simply by spending time, effort, and resources.

But the impact of the grand ceremony was clearly not that simple. It completely changed the environment of the suburbs. While the Hume Tree was still resting in the pond, conventional observation methods were completely blocked by a thin layer of ash, and the Foundation almost completely lost control of the suburbs.

This is not good news.

After hesitating for a moment, Virtin finally spoke:

"I'm sorry... Without the help of the Hume Tree, our conventional forces cannot break through that layer of ash, and subsequent rescue operations will be fraught with difficulties and cannot be carried out."

Having openly acknowledged the predicament the foundation was facing, Virtue slowed her pace and her face darkened.

After a moment, she sighed softly, her voice sounding somewhat unsure: "Give us a little more time, Elaine. Please have faith in the Foundation's strength—we will never abandon any of our comrades...at least I won't."

She had only returned to the city a few hours ago and was still in a daze.

Although the brave and powerful young executive officer saw through the mysterious person's conspiracy in the disseminated message, she was fortunate enough to climb out of the central area of ​​the grand ceremony after giving the Foundation a heads-up.

But only Wilding himself knew the truth:

She lost consciousness during the grand ceremony, and when she opened her eyes, she had already left the outskirts and inexplicably arrived at the edge of the broken iron curtain, thus unwittingly escaping the grand ceremony.

When the girl awoke, Sherlock and Ai lay unconscious within three steps, while ten steps away were the gray matter hovering in the air—these invisible gray figures, like loyal guards, vanished the instant Virtue awoke, as if a dream silently dissipating at dawn…

Everything is filtered through an "unreal" lens, as if someone is writing a script for the stage.

"Grey... that guy, although he's crazy and ruthless, isn't a bloodthirsty person—he won't care about people outside his plans."

Virtin didn't dare look closely at Ai's expression, and walked ahead to comfort him softly: "Nie and Lin, they both look harmless, Gray shouldn't... hurt them, at least they're not in any danger. Don't worry, once the damage to the Hume Tree heals, we'll try to regain control of the outskirts again, and we'll definitely be able to rescue them."

She turned her head and gently patted Ai's shoulder: "Don't worry too much..."

-Uh...I'm actually not worried at all.

Ai observed the oppressive atmosphere around her and didn't dare to let out a yawn.

He had no choice but to feign a "grief" expression, nod at Virtue, and put on a forced, calm smile as he tried to comfort her.

"I'm actually fine, and Mr. Wei doesn't need to blame himself too much—I believe they'll be alright."

He suppressed a laugh while inwardly thinking:

-The two of them are currently staying in Gray Court, where the safety level is off the charts.

Even you and Sherlock were dumped in the far suburbs by my orders to Grey Court... At the time, Ai spent a long time sizing up the location, precisely placing the group under the Foundation's nose to ensure that the rescuers would find them around the exact time Wilting woke up.

In this way... Ai could cling to Virtue's coattails and easily infiltrate the Foundation.

As for why Nie and Lin weren't brought along, it was because Ai wanted to leave a few leaders in the suburbs so that the expansion of the secret sect wouldn't stagnate.

Nie was a great candidate. Although the little guy tearfully expressed his desire to stay by Ai's side, the fox, with a parental mindset, was afraid that the cat would become too clingy and unable to be independent in the future, so he still refused.

As for Lin, keeping that guy around would only cause trouble. It's better to leave him in the suburbs and let this corporate slave cause trouble for others!

Ai believes she has a good grasp of career planning.

After the grand ceremony was completed, he also considered his next move: staying in the suburbs would be comfortable, but after the grand ceremony, everything in the gray area was dissolved and poured onto this wasteland, transforming into the natural rules of the suburbs in the form of "sexual form".

The area has been completely transformed into its lair by the ash, and the entire outskirts can now be seen as a giant "Ash Court".

As the source of "gray matter," Ai can indeed quickly unite the remaining factions in the suburbs and become the king of the suburbs.

—Although a sun fell there, most of the spillover effects were contained within the pool and did not cause too much damage to the present world. Therefore, most ordinary people there were able to survive, although the complications might be quite severe.

As for those who qualify... it probably depends on luck; the influence they receive is ten or even a hundred times greater than that of ordinary people.

Experiencing a "red tide" of this scale is like raising a venomous insect; only those with the strongest vessel can survive. Using a gray mindset, he might even think it's a good thing, since it forcibly improves the quality of talent in the suburbs.

However, after thinking it over, Ai decided to seek development opportunities at the foundation.

After all, the expansion of Tantric Buddhism takes time, and as long as someone is in charge, it can proceed steadily even when the leader is not around.

If Ai Yi wants to upgrade, besides collecting the last bit of nourishment to complete the budding ceremony, he also needs to start collecting the materials needed to advance to the secret ritual - where would he get these things in a rural area like the outskirts?

If you want to develop your career, you still have to come to big cities to find opportunities...

It would be even better if we could get on the good side of the foundation.

Ai shook her head, filled with emotion.

Just in time, thinking that the identity of "Ellen" that she had worked so hard to create could not be wasted, Ai also planned a flawless onboarding plan: no matter how many people escaped from the suburbs, everyone's attention would be focused on Wei Sir, so who would pay attention to the two extras she brought along?

In this way, Ai successfully infiltrated the Lower City Countermeasures Bureau, while Veltin was immediately dragged to the Upper City for tea.

He spent half a month lounging around with Sherlock, enjoying the benefits of being an "intern" while taking advantage of the Foundation's internal employee perks—the dorms were all single rooms, every meal was a buffet with a wide variety of options and decent taste, at least better than fat cubes and instant noodles.

Of course, he didn't just coast along. During this time, he also tried to understand some of the secret knowledge that flowed out from the great ritual of "the time of division".

The secret consciousness, now transformed into crimson liquid, was arranged in the center of his eyes:

"The sun's grand plan itself is not clear, but it is a plan to enter, possess, or succumb to its radiance—that pure light that rises above the red pool, forever drawing our eyes... We are born to pursue the radiance, like sparks flying upwards."

Ai blinked, feeling a slight sting in his eyes. His gray eyes were clouded with fragmented light spots, appearing as if shattered amidst the stark white expanse.

"The gilded ink records: the first dawn was once thought to be eternal, the world forever frozen at noon or the hour after noon, an era called 'noon' ruled the primordial red pool... until the intercalation was raised—at that grand feast, the four-part sun was the answer, its radiance witnessing its division."

In the end, even the characters were almost dismembered, recreating a mirage, the dazzling light almost impossible to see... The stinging pain grew stronger, but Ai still kept her eyes tightly open:

"But we foreshadow its failure, the absolute possibility solidifying into a broken path, the sun's sins and scars a kind of redemption... Our grand plan is still far off—before that, the age of noon has passed us by, distant stars are pinpricks, the sky without the sun has a large void, into which dark chaos gathers..."

But the translucent, crystal-clear container, flowing with crimson hues, still held this secret knowledge firmly within it:

"I recorded this scene with Perkin—the filthy name flowing from the failure of the sun:"

"Grand Pilgrimage: Day of Extinction"

...I can't read any more.

Ai closed her sore eyes, enduring the bright spots of light in front of her gradually fading away, and rubbed her temples wearily.

He learned that the second grand pilgrimage was the secret of the "Lamp's" fall, unlike the murder of the "Banquet"... The death of the sun seemed to be a predetermined, promised failure.

The rest... Ai's current mental capacity is not enough to handle it, and forcing herself to read it might be dangerous—if she wants to know more details, perhaps she can ask Door.

But recently, the door seems to be very busy and has switched to "auto-reply" mode, ignoring Ai Yi.

He entered several glimpses and discovered that his ash wood door was undergoing some kind of incredible transformation: the complex inscriptions on the surface of the door were becoming incredibly clear, yet it was difficult to describe the deeper level of perception...

It was as if dried bloodstains were dissolved by liquid light and began to flow again; the vibrant glow was like blood coursing through the veins of a door, and the pulsating clusters of light between the pure white gaps were like a beating heart, dazzlingly bright—

The gray fish devoured a sun, and the shattered blazing sun turned into red liquid to repair the wounds on the door. This lost path has risen in the red liquid, and the pure white road stretches all the way to the bottom of the pool, where one can vaguely glimpse its original magnificent form.

The door might wake up soon... but in the meantime, those lifeless subtitles look a bit creepy.

Without the noisy door, Ai Yi was indeed not used to it, but she could only put up with it.

.

"Excuse me……"

Cui, who had been quietly following behind the two, suddenly spoke up in a weak voice. If Ai Yi hadn't been so good at hearing, she almost wouldn't have heard her.

"Excuse me, are you discussing the aftermath of that great disaster?"

Cui had been trying to figure out how to address Ai. This overly friendly guy was listed as an intern on the access control database, but Veltin treated him like an equal...

Even... a strange feeling arose in Cui Yinyin's mind; this gray-eyed boy seemed to have an aura that overwhelmed Wei Sir.

Therefore, she had no choice but to choose the more appropriate title of "senior," and said softly, "My main task recently has been to organize the files on the Great Calamity... especially that man called Mr. Gray, who was the cultist who initiated this ritual, I have done a lot of research on him..."

The girl's voice sounded uncertain: "About him...maybe I can help?"

Veltin turned his head, his expression a little stiff.

Ai shuddered and shook her head vigorously.

Upon hearing this name, both men felt a tacit sense of guilt. The former had been repeatedly persecuted by Gray, and that fox had almost become a source of psychological trauma for Wei Sir...

The latter is actually the perpetrator himself, and the target of the persecution is right in front of him.

The atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward, but Cui, who was not familiar with the two, did not notice anything unusual and continued: "Initially, the file belonged to the Secret Cult section. The leader of the Mirror of Radiance, Mr. Gray, is also the culprit who caused the great disaster in the suburbs. His mysterious energy level is roughly estimated to be at least at the fourth stage, but recently he seems to have suffered a huge weakening, and may even have lost all his power. He now lives in the suburbs covered by gray matter."

"The pathway is unknown, the specific power is unknown, and it is the origin of the new phase 'gray matter'..."

"Uh, wait a minute, you don't need to read anymore. These are all the statements I made in Shangcheng."

Veltin was about to lose her temper. As the only Executor who had been in contact with Grey and was still alive, all the information about Mr. Grey had been extracted from her—this was a public execution by Green!

"Ah...is that so?!"

Cui Xiaoxiao gasped and quickly covered her mouth.

Wilting sighed helplessly, adding, "There's one more thing that hasn't been noted by the think tank... After this massive catastrophe, the committee has decided to add Mr. Grey to the 'Taboo' list, acknowledging that his destructive potential could threaten the Nest's survival. From now on, regarding Grey's actions, some of the institute's perverts might get involved."

-hospital?

Cui shrank her neck, seemingly wary of the word.

"That sounds amazing..."

Ai shook his head. The thought of Mr. Gray soon being besieged by various forces made him feel... well, very heartbroken!

Being a villain makes you more likely to be targeted and eliminated, while being a law-abiding citizen is much more enjoyable.

- As the old saying goes, what does the bad things that Gray did have to do with me, Ellen?

If you're so capable, go and cause trouble for that fox!

With a smug hum, Ai Yi unknowingly arrived at the end of the corridor, where a small, dimly lit room stood before her.

Following Virtin, I changed my shoes and quietly walked in on the soft carpet.

This place appears to be a "rest room," furnished with many capsule-shaped lounge chairs, dimly lit, and filled with a faint, subtle fragrance.

"Where is this?"

"The Dream Chamber is a place used to assist in entering the Grand Gift Pool."

Wilting had already found a spot to lie down and patted the recliner next to him: "Come over here quickly, dawn is almost here, you need to fall asleep quickly... I'll check your nutrients."

- What's this? Paid sleep?

A beautiful female boss giving a physical exam?

Ay got excited, jumped onto the lounge chair next to Virtue, and asked excitedly, "And then? And then?"

"Enough with the 'and then,' go to sleep."

Veltin silently activated a device, and as a pump of pale green solution was injected into the back of Ai's head, he slumped back into his seat the next instant, his soft, even breathing filling the air—

.

.

Ai opened her eyes groggily:

"kindness?!"

He suddenly widened his eyes and looked around at the scene—

Underfoot was opaque white marble, and gentle light shone through the transparent stained-glass windows of the dome, casting colorful shadows on the ground—it looked like a church.

Unlike the obscure and terrifying style of Grey Garden, this is a bright and clear sanctuary. Looking out from the main hall, an endless expanse of white clouds and a clear sky come into view.

Ai walked down the glass steps outside the hall along the marble floor. He saw lush greenery and a lake in the distance. Small animals, like deer, stood quietly by the turquoise lake. They seemed to sense Ai's gaze and trotted away along the lakeshore.

The fox was confused.

"Where did this come from?"

There is no insightful perspective, no doorway, no Red Pool...

Is this still in China?

Just as Ai was feeling confused, a figure appeared beside him, the illusory face gradually solidifying: it was Virtin's face. The girl was wearing a silver-woven dress, exuding a luxurious aura, and her exquisite face shone brighter than silver stars under the clear sky.

"Huh...why are you dressed like this..."

The girl finally dropped the top hat, revealing a pair of black-rimmed cat ears with snow-white fur adorning the inside. She twitched her ears back and forth, and her amber pupils were filled with a familiar gleam.

Ai: "Holy crap! Online?"

Just as the fox was bewildered, a sudden burst of light, with its brightness increasing dramatically, flashed before his eyes:

"Your dad's back!"

At the same time, a guiding light screen obscured the characters on the door and covered Ai's eyes.

"Welcome, new user from 'Lolanda Hallownest'. Your code is 160764. Your current location: The White Tower, a permanent territory of the Trinity Foundation in the Great Gift Pool of World Wings."

"The Think Tank Grand Gift Pool Special Edition is continuously providing you with new user guidance. Please create an account..."